Read Online Nothing Is Negotiable by Mark Bentsen - Free Book Online
Authors: Mark Bentsen
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inside the teenage girl behind the counter pointed to a clock that said 5:35. “I’m sorry sir, but we close at five-thirty.”
“I understand, but this is an emergency,” Luke said. He held out the memory card to the girl and said, “The police have asked me to get some pictures made for them as soon as possible.”
“All of our equipment has been turned off for the day. I don’t know...”
“This is very important. My wife is missing and the police need some pictures printed now. I’ll pay whatever it takes.”
She backed away and said, “I’ll have to talk to the manager.” She walked around the corner and disappeared in the back.
While Luke waited, he looked out the big window across the front of the store and watched people walking by, hoping to see a redhead.
“Can I help you?” came a voice behind him.
When Luke turned around he recognized the tall man with long blond hair. Sonny Diamond, the man Bonnie had argued with in St. Mary. Sonny recognized Luke and his expression hardened.
Luke sighed and regained his composure. “I’m Luke Wakefield from Austin, Texas. I... we met yesterday at—”
Without emotion Sonny said, “At my camera store in St. Mary. I remember you. What can I do for you?”
“You own both stores?”
“I don’t own them, but I manage both of them. How can I help you?” he asked impatiently.
“My wife has disappeared and I need to have some pictures of her printed to give the police.”
“What do you mean, she disappeared?” he asked. “Was she hiking or something?”
Luke explained.
“That’s the strangest thing I’ve ever heard,” Sonny said. “Who’d you talk to at the RCMP?”
“An older man named Ernest. I think he’s in charge over there.”
“Yeah, Ernest’s the one to talk to. He’s been the commanding officer here in Cardston as long as I can remember. He’ll find her.” Sonny reached for the memory card Luke was holding. “Give me that and I’ll make some prints for you.”
Sonny told the teenage girl she could go, then stuck the card into the machine, and the photos Luke and Bonnie had taken the day before came up on the monitor. Luke pointed to the photo that showed Bonnie’s face the best.
A moment later, Sonny slipped a stack of 4 x 5s, and some 8 x 10s into an envelope and slid them across the counter to Luke.
“There are plenty of prints in there. Give some to the police and you might post some around town.”
“Thanks. How much do I owe you?” Luke asked as he pushed a fifty-dollar bill across the counter, but Sonny slid it back.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I appreciate that,” Luke said, and the two men headed to the door.
“What are you going to do now?” Sonny asked.
Luke looked back down the street in the direction of the police station, “I’ll take these back to the police and then, I don’t know. Just wait at the car, I guess.”
“Where’s your car?”
“I left it parked in front of the clinic. When Bonnie comes back, I want it to be there.”
Sonny nodded and said, “C’mon. Let me drop you at the RCMP office.”
They got into a dark blue BMW that smelled of new leather and as they started down the road, Sonny asked, “Where are you staying?”
“At the Red Eagle Lodge in St. Mary, but I’m not going back without Bonnie. She’s here somewhere and I’m not leaving without her.”
“I don’t blame you. I’m going to see some friends tonight,” he said. “Give me a couple of those pictures and I’ll pass them around.”
Luke handed him three of the photos.
“It’s a small town. You never know who might have seen something, and the more people looking for her the better.”
A few minutes later Sonny rolled to a stop in front of the police station.
“If you haven’t eaten, the diner next to my store has excellent home cooking.”
“I haven’t eaten since breakfast. I’ll try it.” Then he extended his hand to Sonny. “Hey Sonny, thanks for everything,” Then
“I understand, but this is an emergency,” Luke said. He held out the memory card to the girl and said, “The police have asked me to get some pictures made for them as soon as possible.”
“All of our equipment has been turned off for the day. I don’t know...”
“This is very important. My wife is missing and the police need some pictures printed now. I’ll pay whatever it takes.”
She backed away and said, “I’ll have to talk to the manager.” She walked around the corner and disappeared in the back.
While Luke waited, he looked out the big window across the front of the store and watched people walking by, hoping to see a redhead.
“Can I help you?” came a voice behind him.
When Luke turned around he recognized the tall man with long blond hair. Sonny Diamond, the man Bonnie had argued with in St. Mary. Sonny recognized Luke and his expression hardened.
Luke sighed and regained his composure. “I’m Luke Wakefield from Austin, Texas. I... we met yesterday at—”
Without emotion Sonny said, “At my camera store in St. Mary. I remember you. What can I do for you?”
“You own both stores?”
“I don’t own them, but I manage both of them. How can I help you?” he asked impatiently.
“My wife has disappeared and I need to have some pictures of her printed to give the police.”
“What do you mean, she disappeared?” he asked. “Was she hiking or something?”
Luke explained.
“That’s the strangest thing I’ve ever heard,” Sonny said. “Who’d you talk to at the RCMP?”
“An older man named Ernest. I think he’s in charge over there.”
“Yeah, Ernest’s the one to talk to. He’s been the commanding officer here in Cardston as long as I can remember. He’ll find her.” Sonny reached for the memory card Luke was holding. “Give me that and I’ll make some prints for you.”
Sonny told the teenage girl she could go, then stuck the card into the machine, and the photos Luke and Bonnie had taken the day before came up on the monitor. Luke pointed to the photo that showed Bonnie’s face the best.
A moment later, Sonny slipped a stack of 4 x 5s, and some 8 x 10s into an envelope and slid them across the counter to Luke.
“There are plenty of prints in there. Give some to the police and you might post some around town.”
“Thanks. How much do I owe you?” Luke asked as he pushed a fifty-dollar bill across the counter, but Sonny slid it back.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I appreciate that,” Luke said, and the two men headed to the door.
“What are you going to do now?” Sonny asked.
Luke looked back down the street in the direction of the police station, “I’ll take these back to the police and then, I don’t know. Just wait at the car, I guess.”
“Where’s your car?”
“I left it parked in front of the clinic. When Bonnie comes back, I want it to be there.”
Sonny nodded and said, “C’mon. Let me drop you at the RCMP office.”
They got into a dark blue BMW that smelled of new leather and as they started down the road, Sonny asked, “Where are you staying?”
“At the Red Eagle Lodge in St. Mary, but I’m not going back without Bonnie. She’s here somewhere and I’m not leaving without her.”
“I don’t blame you. I’m going to see some friends tonight,” he said. “Give me a couple of those pictures and I’ll pass them around.”
Luke handed him three of the photos.
“It’s a small town. You never know who might have seen something, and the more people looking for her the better.”
A few minutes later Sonny rolled to a stop in front of the police station.
“If you haven’t eaten, the diner next to my store has excellent home cooking.”
“I haven’t eaten since breakfast. I’ll try it.” Then he extended his hand to Sonny. “Hey Sonny, thanks for everything,” Then
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